With all of the VCHSS races going on this summer, I really didn't expect to be available to ride or race this year's SMEC. As luck would have it, though, the VCHSS race ended up being only a short drive past VIR, so I was able to get in two days of SMEC practice before swapping dirt tires back onto the YZ for that Sunday's harescramble.
My wife Rebecca booked a hotel in South Boston for Friday so she could work remotely then join me at the track with our three dogs. I was also able to convince a couple of my VCHSS friends to stop by the track to check out supermoto for the first time. They were intrigued and I'm still holding out hope of making a few converts out of the harescramble crowd!
I was hoping to reconnect with a highschool friend who'd just gotten into miniGP racing. Unfortunately he broke his collarbone riding at CMP a couple weekends prior, so he was unable to attend the SMEC event.
It seemed to me that this year was the largest turnout I'd seen, including several new riders from New York. Also, a rider from Hickory, NC who was camping next to me. Another new face decided to make the drive after seeing my previous Youtube videos - just the effect I was hoping they would have to help inspire "newb's like me" to give the sport a try!
On Thursday we ran asphalt only while Steve Ingram shaped the dirt section, then on Friday we were unleashed to try our skills on the full course.
I liked the arrangement this time more than ever. The entrance featured a familiar jump, berm, and stepdown. Next, though, was a set of whoops followed by a berm before a double that was steep, but landed on a more mellow transition. Since that lip was so tall, you didn't have to worry about having a bunch of speed to clear. This was especially nice, since you didn't have to "shut it down" right away before the exit berm.
The first run, though, did claim a few riders as they had more speed than they needed - sending them over the final berm and/or crossing up the bars and collapsing INTO it.
I was one of the lucky few to stay on the bike the entire two days, although my very last run was capped with a near over-the-bars landing from the stepdown. I decided I'd tested fate enough and threw in the towel on that Friday afternoon.
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